“Old Zip Coon”

Description

"Ole Zip Coon he is a larned scholar (x3), Sings possum up a gum tree an coony in a holler." Chorus: "O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day (x4)." The remaining verses are quatrains about the people and animals of the south

Supplemental text

Old Zip Coon
  Complete text(s)

          *** A ***

From sheet music published at an uncertain date (probably between
1830 and 1835, but there is no copyright) by J. L. Hewitt & Co.
Title page inscribed
      ZIP COON
A favorite Comic Song
      Sung by
   Mr. G.W. Dixon

O ole Zip Coon he is a larned skoler,
O ole Zip Coon he is a larned skoler,
O ole Zip Coon he is a larned skoler,
Sings possum up a gum tree an coony in a holler.
possum up a gum tree, coony on a stump,
possum up a gum tree, coony on a stump,
possum up a gum tree, coony on a stump,
Den over dubble trubble, Zip coon will jump.

CHORUS.
O Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day.
O Zip a duden duden duden duden duden duden day.
O Zip a duden duden duden duden duden duden day.
Zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day.

    2
O its old Suky blue skin, she is in lub wid me
I went the udder arter noon to take a dish ob tea;
What do you tink now, Suky had for supper,
Why chicken foot and posum heel, widout any butter.

    3
Did you eber see the wild goose, sailing on de occean,
O de wild goose motion is a bery pretty notion;
Evry time de wild goose, beckens to de swaller,
You hear him google google google google gollar.

    4
I went down to Sandy Hollar t other arternoon
And the first man I chanced to meet war ole Zip Coon;
Ole Zip Coon he is a natty scholar,
For he play upon de Banjo "Cooney in de hollar."

    5
My old Missus she's mad wid me,
Kase I would'nt (sic) go wid her into Tennessee
Massa build him a barn and put in de fodder
Twas dis ting and dat ting one ting or odder.

    6
I pose you heard ob de battle New Orleans,
What ole Gineral Jackson gib de British bearns;
Dare de Yankee boys do de job so slick,
For dy cotch old Packenham an rowed him up de creek.

    7
I had many tings to tork about, but dont know wish come first,
So here de toast to old Zip Coon before he gin to rust;
May he had pretty girls, like de King ob ole,
To sing dis song so may times, 'fore her turn to mole.

Notes

Generally regarded as a the forerunner of "Turkey in the Straw." And its lyrics are absurd enough to make "Turkey" seem eminently sensible.

At least three people have claimed authorship of the song: George Washington Dixon (mentioned but not credited on the earliest sheet music), George Nichols, and Bob Farrell. All three were early blackface performers of the piece (Farrell was actually called "Zip Coon," and is reported to have sung the song in 1834). The dispute over authorship probably cannot be settled at this time. - RBW

Historical references

• Jan 8, 1815 - Battle of New Orleans. Americans under Andrew Jackson defeat British troops under Pakenham (the event is referred to obliquely in stanza 6 of the sheet music)

Cross references

• cf. "Turkey in the Straw" (tune & meter) and references there
• cf. "The Old Tobacco Box (There Was an Old Soldier)" (tune, floating lyrics)
• cf. "The Ould Bog Hole" (tune)

Recordings

• Arkansas Charlie [pseud. for Charlie Craver], "Old Zip Coon (Vocalion 5384, c. 1930)
• Hindermyer & Tuckerman [Goldy & Dusty], "Zip Coon" (Edison 51830, 1926)

References

1. RJackson-19CPop, pp. 258-260, "Zip Coon" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Linscott, pp. 101-103, "Old Zip Coon" (1 tune plus dance instructions)
3. BrownIII 418, "Old Zip Coon" (1 text plus mention of 1 more)
4. Belden, pp. 505-506, "Zip Coon" (1 text, minus the chorus but with the other characteristics of the piece)
5. Lomax-FSNA 49, "Turkey in the Straw" (2 text, 1 tune, the second being "Zip Coon")
6. Spaeth-ReadWeep, pp. 17-19, "Zip Coon" (1 text, 1 tune)
7. Fuld-WFM, pp. 591-592, "Turkey in the Straw (Zip Coon)"
8. ST RJ19258 (Full)
9. Roud #4358
10. BI, RJ19258